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The Curse
While hiding in Sanctuary in 1483, Elizabeth Woodville was forced to hand over her sons Edward V and his brother Richard, Duke of York (although a common boy was put in his place while Richard was spirited out of England) to the custody of their uncle and the Lord protector: Richard, Duke of Gloucester. Fearing for the safety of her sons and powerless while in hiding, Elizabeth began summoning a curse with the assistance of her daughter Princess Lizzie. The curse intended that if anyone should murder the Princes that their own sons and grandsons would in turn die and leave nothing but female heirs; paralleling the downfall of the House of York. Both Elizabeth and Lizzie believe that this curse came to pass. Possible targets of the curse There were many who stood to gain and were implied in the murder of the Princes in the Tower. The events of their lives eerily fit the description of the curse. Richard III: Richard befell many misfortunes in his short reign and he was believed, by Elizabeth, to be the primary suspect of the murders until she discovered otherwise. Richard's son and heir died young and was followed shortly after by his wife Anne. Richard knew that Elizabeth had cursed his sword arm and that he was likely to fail in the upcoming battle with Henry Tudor. He confessed he did not kill the boys before his death and Elizabeth felt some regret over ill wishing and suspecting him. Lizzie certainly believed Richard's innocence and rather than rob him of heirs she expressed a desire to give him sons. Buckingham: Buckingham certainly expressed a desire to murder the princes to clear the way to the throne. Buckingham would be executed for treason and rebelling against his sovereign as would his son and his grandson. However Buckingham's family line flourished and so it is unlikely he was affected by the curse. Brackenbury: Brackenbury had a bastard son who's fate was not mentioned and therefore it was unlikely that he was involved in the murder. The Downfall of the House of Tudor "...Everyone said that the Tudors were cursed for killing the York princes in the Tower. How should a prince-killer be blessed? But if the king thought this, how could he dare to plan a future, he who killed the Plantagenet heirs: Lady Margaret Pole, and her innocent son and grandson? ..." It has been strongly implied, and implacably stated, by a few protagonists that the Tudors were wholly responsible for the deaths of the Princes to ensure Richard's unpopularity and to move Henry Tudor closer to the throne of England. Only after the marriage of Elizabeth of York and Henry Tudor that it becomes apparent that Elizabeth and Lizzie have doomed their own family. This knowledge weighs heavily on Elizabeth of York for she knows that her husband killed not only her lover but also her brothers and that she has put a death sentence on her children. Arthur Tudor: Arthur dies without issue at the age of sixteen. Margaret Tudor: Her son, James IV of Scots dies in battle. Her grandson James V dies suddenly leaving the throne to a girl Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary is executed and her son James VI replaces the Royal House of Tudor with the Royal House of Stuart. The Royal house of Stuart also ends with two infertile female Queens, thus fulfilling the curse. Henry VIII: Henry has a lifelong struggle to produce a male heir. Throughout six ill fated marriages he produces legitimate three children: Mary, Elizabeth and Edward. As well as bastards including Henry Fitzroy (whom dies young without issue). Mary "Rose" Tudor: Mary's sons die young and her daughter Frances gave birth to three girls; Jane, Catherine and Mary. Jane was executed for treason without issue. Mary died imprisoned without issue. Catherine married Edward Seymour without Elizabeth I's permission and was therefore imprisoned in the tower. The warden of the tower allowed the couple to meet and this resulted in the birth of a son Edward. Edward VI: Like Arthur, Edward dies at the age of sixteen, without issue. Mary I: Mary fulfills the curse by inheriting the crown and proving to be infertile. She dies with no issue. Elizabeth I: Elizabeth flouts convention by not marrying and producing heirs thus concluding the curse. Elizabeth however does have sexual encounters with Thomas Seymour and a long term affair with Robert Dudley, yet never conceives implying that she may also infertile too. Category:Witchcraft